The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the HSRC unveiled the key findings of the National Food and Nutrition Security Survey (NFNSS) on Wednesday, 9 October 2024.

The study findings, officially launched by Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, uncovered substantial regional disparities in land access and usage. The Eastern Cape had the highest access to land, whereas the Western Cape had limited access. On the contrary, Limpopo led in terms of agricultural land usage. The study found that only 14% of South African households were engaged in agricultural production.

Agricultural activities were more intensive in Limpopo and Mpumalanga during the survey period. Notably, Limpopo led in the production of most agricultural commodities, except for livestock, which was more prominently produced in the Eastern Cape while Gauteng was leading in the production of vegetables.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, HSRC’s Professor Thokozani Simelane, the collected data has been shared with the World Health Organization (WHO) for further analysis. This collaboration aims to assess South Africa’s progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, which focuses on ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving nutrition.

The survey’s findings offer insights into the current state of food and nutrition security in the country at the district sphere.

The aim of the survey was to generate baseline data that the government will use to provide targeted support interventions to households. Support to households is aimed at providing access to adequate food and nutrition towards food security.

The HSRC was commissioned by DALRRD to conduct the NFNSS between 2021 and 2023. The survey was conducted in all nine provinces with 10 reports produced, one for each province and one national report.

Click here to access the full report.